SWRC Sportive Report

[Andrew G]

A sportive in February? Yeah I know sounds weird, and not in my "traditional" mentality so I ignore what the organiser says and ride them as steady state reliability rides . I don't know what other know steady state as but for me it's constant, even, steady and solid effort and pedaling, normally means sitting on the front so you don't just get towed round in a group. Only freewheel on the steeper descents.

That said the organiser of this one had made a good effort, at sign on there was an envelope with a number to attach to the handlebars, Phil O'Connor (sp?) sitting at the top of two of the climbs taking snaps, and a fully signed route. The signage was first class, big yellow arrows everywhere, even I couldn't miss one of those . The only problem is that if you are going to invite 200-300 riders to show up you need an HQ with more than just two toilet cubicles (Ladies only, nobody managed to find a gents which had seemingly vanished).

Rolled in to the pen at the start seeing the familiar Domina Vacanza palm tree jersey of cadence king Nigel. Having a brief chat I realised I'd left my bottles in the car . Nipped out of the pen and back to the car round the corner, faffed about a bit with bottles and then set off. I couldn't be bothered to wait for the next group to go as I wasn't sure what intervals they were leaving at, so set off to chase down Nigel.

Caught up with him after about 3 miles and we continued together, picking off a number of riders as we went. I was happy sitting on the front to get a decent workout in to the wind, but glancing back I noticed most of the people we'd passed had all latched on for the ride.

The route starts off with a short sharp nasty hill early on before you've got your legs warm and then covers a bit of the hilly 50 route in reverse. We then climbed Leith Hill but from the easy side so it was a gentler drag before descending the steeper longer side.

After that we went up a climb, the name of which is a mystery, which was a real country cracker. Narrow, bumpy, covered in various bits of debris, wet in places, and it went on for a fair while. It was one of those that you keep thinking you've got to the top of when it levels a bit before another kick up peeks out from behind the bushes. The descent was a real heart thumper as it shared all the same characteristics, so with a lot of crap on the bumpy, and sometimes loose surface, had to be taken very carefully.

A little while after this we approached the checkpoint and most of the 20-30 riders I'd been towing along for the last 25 miles decided to finally stick their noses in to the wind so they could beat Nigel and I to get their cards stamped . Good checkpoint by the way with free bananas (for those that aren't allergic to them), and water top-ups.

We waited a couple of minutes so Nigel could eat his banana and then for a big blue smoke cloud to clear. There was a vintage motorcycle meeting at the same point and they weren't the greenist of machines. Then we were off again for the second longer "half" of the route.

A couple of bits were familiar as we cut along a side or two of the SCCU sporting 25 course, but there was a section or two on this return leg that weren't particularly nice. They were just long drag sections. A slight incline all the time but just bland roads, high bushes either side and nothing to see anyway. This bit if the route should be replaced as it was really boring and I'm sure you could cut though another way on nicer roads and rather than just a long drag stick a proper climb in.

At 50 miles there was quite a long toughish climb and at the top I stopped and looked back for Nigel but couldn't see him. I waited another minute and still no sight so carried on my way. Back at the HQ Nigel confirmed that this was where his legs had waved a white flag .

Another slightly dull bit with a couple of main road sections led to the final proper climb of the day, Coombe Bottom. Quite a nasty fella his one, a bit similar to Whitedown. P O'C was in situ towards the top to catch our grimaces. Can you have a word Huw, I can look quite composed on the flat, but whenever he's around it's always a hill and I'm clambering all over my bike .

Now just the final run in home to finish the ride. Got back to HQ and handed my card in before going to the car to change. Back to HQ for a cuppa and a big slab of cake and a reunion with Nigel. Also bumped in to Andy there who'd had a more eventful ride as he'd come off on one of the loose surfaced bends. No real damage just a grubby jersey and a hole in his tights to go with the clubs current collection.

Won't have troubled your 4th spot from last year Rob but quite pleased with a steady paced ride in 3hours 57minutes for the 63 miles and an average of 16mph on the nose.

Overall opinion of this event is that the organisation and signage is excellent. The HQ probably needs looking at and the route could do with a couple of changes. It's worth giving it a go as a lot of the route is mainly nice lanes but it does have a couple of noticeably bland patches in it. It's more of a route of some tougher climbs but a lot more rolling and long drag sections to sap the legs rather than lots of hills back to back. Doubt I'll do it next year unless the route is amended but it was an enjoyable day in good weather on a lot of roads I don't know.

[edited for a couple of typos but I'm sure Ian can find a few more for me ]

[Snoop Doug]

So.....average course, good write up, excellent time. Nice one.

Snoop

[Antloony]

Yep good write up Mr G, cheers and well done for not getting lost.

[Andrew G]

One thing I forgot to mention was that speaking to Andy afterwards he said he'd heard that someone else had come off on the same corner as him and broken their leg . Now that will sting in the morning.

[Ian A4size]

lovely right up finbar- i almost felt as if i was their.

Shuely greenest?

[Del]

[quote="Andrew G"]One thing I forgot to mention was that speaking to Andy afterwards he said he'd heard that someone else had come off on the same corner as him and broken their leg . Now that will sting in the morning.

[Andrew G]

[quote="Ian MunneryA1size"]lovely right up finbar- i almost felt as if i was their.

Shuely greenest?

[Andy S]

OK – so adding to the February misery here goes my account of the day.

Got to the start early and not seeing any agreeable’s around decided I might as well get off in then early groups (thinking they’d probably catch me anyway). Got in with a decent group at the start, but someone punctured just before White Down and they all stopped – now here’s where it all started to go wrong.
For some reason I didn’t realise it was White Down until I passed the pill box, then the hair pin came to memory so on with the brakes, just as I thought I was going to get away with it the rear wheel locked and for some strange reason (to do with coefficients of friction or something) I found myself accelerating again. Fortunately I managed to avoid doing an Ulrich over the barrier into the bushes, instead bringing off a very slick sliding action onto the grass verge. Quick check and fortunately all ok, just a bit of dirt and a bruised ego .
Managed to get into another good group up through Abinger and went well until just south of Rudgwick when the air in my back tyre decided it had had enough and duly escaped with a loud hisss, another stop and the loss of another good group. Puncture repaired I was off again, this time on my own, through the half way check and plodding along nicely picking off riders who didn’t seem to want to work in groups – then it all went wrong on a nasty left turn on a down hill approach. The bike just disappeared from under me and I was down like a sack of the proverbial spuds with a very nice pirouette and lots of cussing. There was a guy standing on the corner with his bike, on his mobile (he was on the mobile – not his bike) who proudly announced “I’ve just done that too” what a w@**ker – why he wasn’t warning people I’ll never know. Spent the next 10 mins warning on coming riders while I checked myself out. This time not just the ego took a bashing – I have a very nice hip that looks like a side of beef in a butchers and my left wrist is starting to go a nice shade of purple, luckily just bruising. Very nasty corner which apparently caught a lot of people out.
Rest of the ride was thankfully uneventful apart from an increasingly painful wrist which, by the time I finished, was advising me of every blemish in the road. Got a time of 4hours 16mins (3:56 actual riding time), quick chat with Andrew and Nigel and it was off to tend to the day’s trophy’s.
Not really one I care to remember, bring on next week and the Surrey Rumble .

Andy S

[Andrew G]

Phil O'Connor has got his usual super quick service running so for your gurning fun go to [url]http://www.philoconnor.com/sportivephoto.htm[/url] and click on the SWRC event and then the link to all the piccies.
For me search for number 129 (pic 01 Leith Hill, 10, 11, 12 Coombe Bottom) - Note the rack Huw
Nigel search for 312 (pic 01, 02 Leith Hill, 10, 11, 12, Coombe Bottom demonstrating super s-bending technique )
Andy search for 265 (pic 01, 02 Leith Hill, 10, 11, 12, Coombe Bottom)
Del - I don't know what number you were, let us know so we can share your pain .

[Del]

[quote="Andrew G"]Phil O'Connor has got his usual super quick service running so for your gurning fun go to [url]http://www.philoconnor.com/sportivephoto.htm[/url] and click on the SWRC event and then the link to all the piccies.
For me search for number 129 (pic 01 Leith Hill, 10, 11, 12 Coombe Bottom) - Note the rack Huw
Nigel search for 312 (pic 01, 02 Leith Hill, 10, 11, 12, Coombe Bottom demonstrating super s-bending technique )
Andy search for 265 (pic 01, 02 Leith Hill, 10, 11, 12, Coombe Bottom)
Del - I don't know what number you were, let us know so we can share your pain .

[Andy K]

Not a lot to add to what's already been said - did the ride with Del (report above) - ended up coming in together at 4:20 - not great but improving Never managed to find a group to sit on the back of - sorry, mean work with - which might have helped!

I enjoyed the route - including the nasty addition of Bedham Hill?? just after the feed station that was added at the last minute!

On the facilities There was a set of Gents toilets in the main hall that were not signposted and that were empy while queues formed at the ladies Not sure why they kept it a secret

.... and the pics of my pain - rider 179

[adrian]

Well done, chaps - good rides and good write-ups. Bad luck with the crashes and the punctures, Andy - that all adds up to a seriously crap day . Hope the hip and wrist are on the mend.

Have looked at the photos and found you all to appear disappointingly comfortable on the climbs. Andrew, you're clearly leaving that London Dynamo bloke for dead